STE: Biobed
by ZenosParadox
Summary: RS friendship. Malcolm's view from the Biobed after Shockwave2 and Minefield, Season 2. Mild spoilers.


Title: Biobed  
  
Author: ZenosParadox  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Summary: RS friendship. Malcolm's view from the biobed during Shockwave2, Minefield. Mild spoilers for Shockwave2, Carbon Creek, Minefield.   
  
Disclaimer: The Enterprise characters belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.  
  
BIOBED  
  
Malcolm knew the moment she walked in, although he found it odd that he couldn't describe how it was that he sensed her presence. His eyes were closed, so it was not the sight of her that he noted. She walked too softly for it to be her footsteps considering all the background noises in sickbay. It wasn't perfume because Hoshi wore the barest scent. It wasn't her voice because she was typically silent until she approached the bed when she visited him in sickbay.   
  
And how often had that been during the last year? She teased him that his initials were engraved on the frame. Still, he knew it was Hoshi. Hoshi approached the bed and stood over him for a moment.   
  
Malcolm wanted to open his eyes to look at her while at the same time he wanted to turn away. He never considered himself handsome and the current disarray of his visage certainly didn't improve things. But seeing her lovely face would ease the pain in a manner that no analgesic ever could, so he made the effort to open his eyes and was rewarded by the warm, dark gaze above him. Yes, much better.  
  
Hoshi looked at her friend and gave him her best attempt at a smile. She actually wanted to cry at seeing him so battered. He'd had to act weak, obtuse, careless--none of which he was. She wondered what hurt him the most.  
  
Was it the physical evidence of his beating or the effort it took to convince the Suliban he was an incompetent security officer? The man had a lot of pride, yet he was willing to sacrifice even that for the sake of his Captain and his crew.   
  
She patted his shoulder gently and said, "I suppose this would be a bad time to give your shirt back to you?"  
  
His mouth turned into a faint smile as he remembered how she had ordered him, her superior officer, to get her the garment. Malcolm had been shocked by her appearance, concerned about someone abusing her, and then chagrined to think about all the times she had invaded his dreams in this manner. He deserved the beating he endured just on the basis of how quickly his thoughts had turned from concern to lust with regard to Hoshi.  
  
He said hoarsely, "No rush. In fact, just keep it."  
  
If anything did happen to him, Malcolm was comforted by the thought that Hoshi would have something that had belonged to him. He liked the thought that she would be wearing it and remember her Armory Officer on Enterprise. That would be a welcome thought indeed.  
  
~~~~~  
  
This time the searing ache was in his leg. The painkillers could not dull the sense of futility, however.   
  
He had failed. The mine had re-armed and Trip had had to lose another piece of the hull of his precious starship in order to save them. He smiled as he thought about what that had cost the Engineer, but the one thing more important to Trip than his ship was his crew.   
  
Despite Malcolm's social withdrawal, Trip had still come to him at sickbay, chiding him in only the way the Southerner could about getting himself pinned out there just to make him have to tear his baby apart. Travis had made an appearance to describe the effort it had taken to pilot Enterprise through the minefield.  
  
But she had stayed away.   
  
Malcolm frowned as he remembered how aloof he had made himself lately. He had reverted to old habits all because of a single incident, a chance stumbling over ship's gossip.   
  
-----   
  
The anniversary of their launch had come and gone without fanfare. Malcolm knew the Captain had brought out the wine to share with Trip and T'Pol because Trip had mentioned it in passing. No one else had celebrated, however. Other than the announcement the Captain had made over the comm system, no other mention of their passing a year together was made.  
  
That had not dampened the spirits of Hoshi and Travis, though. No, they were young, exuberant, and able to make a routine meal in the mess hall a celebration. There was no need for alcohol at their table.   
  
Of course they had dragged Malcolm into their celebratory mood. The main purpose in their life off-duty was to crack the Armory Officer's shell and they reveled in their success. So the two Ensigns had spent their meal making toasts to each other and to the Lieutenant.  
  
Travis had begun the game with, "For the best rendition of a Vulcan snowman..." Followed by, "Lamest invitation to a movie..."  
  
Malcolm had countered with "...the only senior staff to avoid decon..." to Travis. "...for the first time you did NOT blow out a bulkhead during target practice..." to Hoshi.   
  
  
  
Hoshi immediately shot back with, "And for the look on your face when..."  
  
Travis' befuddlement at some of their references merely made Hoshi giggle and Malcolm laugh. They would try to explain a situation to the poor helmsman only to be captured again by their own thoughts as they reviewed the humor of what had been embarrassing or uncomfortable situations. The birthday fiasco, the transporter at P'Jem, endless scenes on the Klingon ship, shore leave on Risa, the rescue efforts during the Suliban occupation.  
  
Hoshi and Malcolm then added a few toasts with regard to The Look On Someone's Face When... The list had gone something like this: Travis' face when he got caught sitting in the Captain's chair. T'Pol's face when they urged her to extend time in decon. Trip's face when he heard about borer worms.   
  
  
  
"Who haven't the two of you ganged up on?" asked Travis as he heard the catalogue of their efforts.  
  
Malcolm and Hoshi turned to each other to consider this for a moment, then said simultaneously, "Porthos!"  
  
Malcolm sat back as he listened to Travis and Hoshi exchange their own personal tidbits and wished that moment could last indefinitely. The sense of belonging was rare for him and he cherished it quietly as the Ensigns continued their review of the year. But the dinner did end with Malcolm escorting Hoshi to her quarters after Travis had been called from their company by Ensign Kelly.   
  
As Malcolm walked back to his own quarters, he heard voices drifting to him from around the corner of the corridor. There was no mistaking the topic of conversation.   
  
"...he's just such a disappointment."  
  
"He was so professional in the beginning, a real soldier. Now..."  
  
"He can't even keep himself from getting injured. How can he keep the ship safe?"  
  
"I heard he really botched up when the Suliban captured us. He was playing hero and they caught him!"   
  
"Yeah, damn good thing the Captain showed up to save us."  
  
"At least he got the hell beat out of him. Deserved it, too."  
  
"The guy's always getting beat up, probably because he keeps getting distracted."  
  
"I think he spends too much time mooning over the comm officer."  
  
"Yeah, they were in decon together. Heard she made him a birthday cake last year."  
  
"Wonder what else she gave him? Think she might like to spread it around?"  
  
"If a woman will put out for the Lieutenant, she's probably easy. You've heard about his reputation, haven't you?"  
  
"Yeah, Sato must be very free and friendly. You heard about her little fling during shore leave on Risa, didn't you?"  
  
"I think Ensign Sato and I need to get better acquainted, don't you? I'll let you know if she's good."  
  
"Of course, the Lieutenant has rank to his advantage. We just have our good looks."  
  
Reed rounded the corner and the look in his eyes made the two men step back toward the wall. In spite of their earlier bravado, neither wanted to mess with the Armory Officer.   
  
"Gentlemen, I believe you should consider the fact that Ensign Sato is a LADY. You can say what you wish about me, but don't disparage the women of this crew--any of them. I expect the male complement of this ship to behave as the gentlemen you were trained to be. I'm sure the Captain would reinforce my opinion."  
  
"Sorry, Lieutenant, it was just talk, that's all."  
  
"We've just had a long day and got tired."  
  
"That is no reason to pull Ensign Sato into your comments. She is a hard-working, talented professional who has put her own life in jeopardy to save the crew. You owe her your lives several times over, so just remember that. I had better see you treating her with the utmost respect, understood?"  
  
"Yes, sir."   
  
"Good. You'll see some adjustments to your duty roster. I assume you have no complaints in that regard? I didn't think so," said Reed. "Dismissed."  
  
Reed watched the men walk away. He entered his quarters to make two decisions. First, he would discuss the duty roster with the Captain at their breakfast meeting next week. The second decision had been more difficult.   
  
Reed had let himself become lax with regard to rank and his developing friendships with both Travis and Hoshi. He thought about how the men in the corridor had described him. It was a bitter pill to think that the rest of the crew saw him in that manner.   
  
Worse was that he had forgotten how his friendship with Hoshi could be misconstrued. Protecting the crew was his job and if he were truly Hoshi's friend, he would do what was necessary to protect her reputation, even at the cost of that friendship.   
  
-----   
  
Now Malcolm sat on the biobed again thinking about what a good job he had done in removing himself from Hoshi's life. She had not been to see him once. He thought about the concussion she had suffered when Enterprise had first encountered the mines. He had initially attributed her absence to that, but he knew he had hurt her with his distance lately. Then, as Dr. Phlox gave him the order to be released, he felt her.  
  
He had not heard the doors opening with all of the sounds in sickbay. He did not see her because his back was turned to the entrance at the time. He could not smell her perfume because she used such a faint scent. It was not the sound of her voice that identified her, either, since she kept silent until she was at the bed.  
  
Still, Hoshi's voice came as no surprise when she said, "Need some help getting back to your quarters, Malcolm?"  
  
Malcolm looked into those warm eyes and felt a rush of relief. He nodded, said thank you, and she put her arm around his shoulders after helping him slip on a bathrobe. As he leaned against her while they walked, he noticed he was feeling no pain.  
  
*****  
  
Author Notes:  
  
4 pages. Written October 24, 2002, and posted at LD.  
  
Thanks for reading. Reviews are not necessary. 


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